THE Perikatan Nasional government’s crackdown on dissent is due to its precarious hold on power, which reveals the coalition’s insecurities, said political analysts.

In going after its critics from Pakatan Harapan and civil society, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration is also trying to cover up its use of plum positions in government-linked companies and statutory bodies to buy support from MPs.

The campaign against dissent, said analysts, is a return to the Barisan Nasional era, as the politics of patronage appear to be the only method of governance that Muhyiddin is familiar with.

This is despite PN’s pledge to continue reforming institutions, and combating corruption and kleptocracy.

“The crackdown is only one side of the picture with this government,” said political scientist Prof James Chin.

“The bigger picture is that PN is trying to erase all the practices of the previous 22 months of PH rule and take the country back to the BN era.”

The director of University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute said the GLC appointments signal a return to power of BN’s old guard, as they comprise veteran MPs who were ministers and deputy ministers in the previous era.

PH took Putrajaya after defeating BN in the May 2018 general election, but after less than two years into its five-year term, it was betrayed by more than 30 MPs from Bersatu and PKR.

These lawmakers – led by Muhyiddin and former PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali – formed PN with the help of Umno, PAS, and a clutch of Sabah and Sarawak parties.

Umno is the BN lynchpin, while Muhyiddin was BN deputy chairman until 2016, when he left to form Bersatu.

An audio recording recently surfaced of a man saying he will cement Umno support for PN through appointments in GLCs. It is alleged that the voice in question is that of Muhyiddin.

Chilling effect on speech

According to the Centre for Independent Journalism, 21 people and organisations have been investigated under either the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA), Sedition Act or Penal Code for criticising PN.

They include civil society activists, journalists and PH politicians, such as Hannah Yeoh, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and Xavier Jayakumar.

The criticisms include PN’s parliamentary majority, its policies during the Covid-19 crisis, and its takeover of Putrajaya through defections and the alleged buying over of MPs from PH.

Mohd Azlan Zainal of think-tank Ilham Centre said the GLC appointments are related to PN’s slim majority in Parliament, and questioning such practices discredits the administration.

“The support for Muhyiddin has no clear direction, but just so that he can become prime minister,” he said, referring to PN’s majority of 115 of the 222 seats in Parliament.

“So, as Muhyiddin has not proven the actual support he has in Parliament, these appointments will continue.”

The authorities’ investigations into PH and civil groups for criticising PN reveal that they are motivated by politics, he said.

“This is going to take us back to the BN era as the application of the law is not based on the constitution. To cement the government’s position, these types of politically motivated actions will continue.”

Associate Prof Awang Azman Awang Pawi of Universiti Malaya said the investigations into PN’s critics reveal its ideology, despite Muhyiddin’s earlier promise of institutional reform.

“If the criticism looks like it does not benefit the government or makes it uncomfortable, they will take action.”

But, he believes the current crackdown will not suppress PH or the government’s other detractors.

Chin, however, said it will create a chilling effect for PN’s social media critics.

He pointed to the attempt by Attorney-General Idris Harun to cite Malaysiakini for contempt of court for allowing certain comments on the news portal.

The comments were by readers, he said, and this will have an impact on other blogs and sites.

“It is a particularly authoritarian way of controlling the media and freedom of expression because the authorities are going after platforms and not just users.

“These same users, who are usually private individuals, are also vocal on social media, and the idea is to force everyone to be careful about what they write.

“The result is that people will go quiet on social media, and criticism of the government may fade.” – June 21, 2020.